H.Con.Res.68 — To direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from Venezuela that have not been authorized by Congress
House Roll Call
H.Con.Res.68
| Bill | H.Con.Res.68 — To direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from Venezuela that have not been authorized by Congress |
|---|---|
| Vote question | On Agreeing to the Resolution |
| Vote type | Yea-and-Nay |
| Result | Failed |
| Totals | Yea 215 / Nay 215 / Present 0 / Not Voting 1 |
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 2 | 215 | 0 | 1 |
| D | 213 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| I | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Research Brief
On Agreeing to the Resolution
Bill Analysis
H. Con. Res. 68 is a concurrent resolution, introduced under the War Powers Resolution, directing the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities in or against Venezuela that have not been specifically authorized by Congress.
Core purpose and effect
- Declares that Congress has not authorized the introduction of U.S. Armed Forces into hostilities in Venezuela or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated.
- Directs the President to remove any such forces from Venezuela within a specified period (typically 30 days under the War Powers Resolution; the exact timeframe is set in the resolution’s text).
- Applies to forces engaged in “hostilities” or situations of imminent hostilities, not to all conceivable military-related activities (e.g., may exclude certain intelligence, logistics, or diplomatic security functions, depending on the text and interpretation).
Legal authorities and mechanisms
- Invokes the War Powers Resolution of 1973 (50 U.S.C. 1541–1548), which allows Congress to require withdrawal of U.S. forces from hostilities absent a declaration of war or specific statutory authorization.
- As a concurrent resolution, it expresses the will of both chambers but does not go to the President for signature and does not create new statutory law or funding. Its force derives from the War Powers framework and Congress’s constitutional war powers.
Agencies and programs affected
- Primarily affects the Department of Defense and any U.S. combat forces or direct military operations in or against Venezuela.
- May indirectly affect the Department of State and related security assistance or advisory activities if they involve U.S. forces in hostilities.
Who is impacted
- U.S. Armed Forces: operational constraints on deployment and engagement in or against Venezuela.
- Executive Branch: limits unilateral military action in Venezuela absent congressional authorization.
- Venezuelan territory and actors: aims to prevent or terminate unauthorized U.S. military involvement.
Timelines and procedure
- Requires withdrawal within the set period after adoption.
- Latest House action established a special procedure allowing floor consideration with one hour of debate, signaling readiness for potential House vote.
Yea (215)
J
Jason Crow
L
Lloyd Doggett
J
John Garamendi
J
John Mannion
L
Lucy McBath
E
Eric Swalwell
R
Rashida Tlaib
N
Nydia Velázquez
D
Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Nay (215)
K
Ken Calvert
S
Scott Franklin
L
Lisa McClain
J
John Rutherford
D
David Schweikert
P
Pete Sessions
